Berkeley landlord charged for allegedly shooting tenant

BERKELEY, Calif. -- A 75-year-old man was charged with premeditated attempted murder and assault with a semi-automatic firearm for allegedly shooting his 39-year-old tenant in Berkeley on Wednesday morning, police and prosecutors said.

Herman Little of Berkeley was arrested about two hours after the shooting, which occurred in the 2100 block of Essex Street shortly before 11:30 a.m.

Berkeley police spokesman Officer Byron White said officers who responded to a report that a man was in the middle of the street in the 2100 block of Essex Street screaming that he had been shot found the victim suffering from gunshot wounds.

White said the victim was taken to a hospital to be treated for serious gunshot wounds.

A police spokesman said Friday that the man is now in stable condition and is expected to survive.

Berkeley police Officer Xiao Ren wrote in a probable cause statement that Little "shot his tenant multiple times at point blank range," with two of the bullets striking the man in the right side of his chest and one striking him in his right hand.

Ren said the tenant ran into his apartment after he was shot and locked the door but Little followed him inside by unlocking the door, "shooting at him once more while he was chasing him."

Officers who searched the building found multiple guns as well as a home-made silencer that was made out of a pipe, according to Ren.

Little, who is being held at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, was arraigned today and is scheduled to return to court on June 22 to be assigned an attorney and possibly enter a plea.

Little listed his occupation as being a merchant marine when he was booked, according to Alameda County jail records.